


Dream Team

by jellyryans (ryankellycc)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Gen, M/M, POV Female Character, POV Original Character, So many OCs, could be in the canon universe but waaay later, secret character cameos!, summer volleyball camp, tanasuga from the outside looking in, there are kids everywhere, very married tanasuga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-19 02:44:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22037260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryankellycc/pseuds/jellyryans
Summary: Yuki-san smiles coyly. “If you think Tanaka-kun is great, you should see his cheer squad.”“Cheer squad?”The gym doors slam open with Yume’s voice like her words are responsible for summoning the two figures in the doorway.Nakano Yume is about to watch her son's first volleyball match and she realizes she's not as prepared as she ought to be. Luckily, some very enthusiastic people are there to help her ease into the experience.Written forBecsas part of a 2019 Discord secret santa!
Relationships: OC/OC, Sugawara Koushi/Tanaka Ryuunosuke
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	Dream Team

**Author's Note:**

> There are no explicit manga spoilers, but if you're caught up you might catch a few little details here and there!
> 
> Becs told me to go nuts, so here ye be...

The first thing Yume notices as she sits down is the way the metal ridges of the bleachers dig into her thighs. She stands up to change her seat but realizes she has no other option. Each place to sit on the moveable aluminum bleachers is part of a bench that can double as a step and the ridges that pinched her legs are meant for traction on the slippery metal. She lowers herself one last time, giving thanks the heavens that at least she chose a spot that doesn’t have an ancient piece of trodden-down gum stuck to it. 

She manages to adjust her skirt enough that it bunches under her thighs and pushes the depressing thought of having to iron the pleats back into place again out of her mind, but the empty space on the bleachers next to her provides Yume with yet another unpleasant reminder about her situation. 

While it’s not unusual for her husband to travel for work, his current trip was a surprise, sprung on them just days before their son’s summer break started. He’d left in such a rush that she hadn’t even had _time_ to be upset. 

Now that she’s stuck sitting alone on dirty bleachers in a smelly gymnasium, however, she has plenty of time to find things to grumble about, like how she had to painstakingly rearrange the weekend trip to the beach that they’d planned months in advance and do all of their grocery shopping with a rowdy seven year old in tow. 

To Eiji’s credit, he does text her every morning to wish them a good day and calls them every night so he can be there when she tucks Kouki into bed. He also had flowers delivered to the house and sent a postcard he must’ve mailed the moment he set foot in Hong Kong. The piece of card stock had been promptly sequestered by their son and is now propped up proudly against the lamp on his bedside table. 

Yume pouts. Maybe she’s not mad, just tired, or nervous because this is their first experience with competitive sports, or sore from chasing her son because he no longer has school to temper his energy. 

She wonders sometimes, in the privacy of her thoughts, if he’s a changeling from a race of hyperactive space aliens. Neither she nor Eiji thought they’d see the day when Kouki would be interested in anything other than running around without purpose, throwing rocks at their neighbor’s fence, and waving sticks around with his friends, but their son had come home from school a couple months earlier clutching a bright orange flyer like a relic and speaking in tongues like a boy possessed. 

He’d babbled about aces and spikes and nets and kneepads for a solid ten minutes before Yume had been able to wrestle the crumpled flyer from his hands. She bites back a smile remembering how Kouki’s eyes lit up when she’d asked, with poorly concealed disbelief, “You want to go to a _volleyball_ camp?”

And with that question, their fates were sealed. 

Kouki had wasted no time in setting up his own volleyball net in their small backyard with butcher string he’d stolen from the kitchen, duct tape of unknown provenance, and a tattered volleyball that she later found out he’d stolen from the gymnastics storage room at his primary school. His apology had been earnest enough that his punishment wasn’t severe, but he’d sulked until one of their neighbors lent him a ball that could reasonably pass for the one he’d had to return.

As his mother, Yume has to stand her ground — Kouki needs to learn that he can’t have everything he wants exactly when he wants it — but she’s not heartless. Before Eiji left, she snuck out to buy him his very own volleyball. It sat hidden in their closet until that morning, when Yume had placed it on Kouki’s bed after he’d left for his last day of camp. 

Yume smiles in earnest, not paying any attention to the strangers around her that might shake their heads at a lonely woman smiling to herself in public. She might begrudge her less-than-ideal seating arrangement and the fact that her husband isn’t physically there to support them, but she can’t deny the love that manages to shine through the cracks of her flimsy complaints. 

With that thought, she allows her attention to wander to the wood flooring of the court set up in front of the bleachers, where two groups of boys sit in large circles on opposite sides of a net. 

One of the coaches looks on their circle with quiet satisfaction as he demonstrates what the boys are supposed to be doing. He’s tall and broad-shouldered with a serious, steely expression that seems to match his white hair. In another situation, the man might be intimidating, but Yume is impressed by the way he addresses the boys like they are respected colleagues instead of just a random group of rambunctious kids. 

On the other side, the coach standing in the circle with her son takes an entirely different approach. 

Yume would move mountains for her boy, but she wasn’t sure until she met him what kind of guy would willingly gather a large group of seven and eight year old boys and spend five full days keeping up with them. 

The very first time Yume saw Tanaka-san, at the “Meet and Greet” session advertised on the orange flyer, he stood tall in a neon orange cotton shirt with the name of the camp emblazoned across the chest with his arms flexed like a professional body-builder, only instead of weights there were three boys hanging off his arms. 

When the boys dropped from his arms, Tanaka-san greeted everyone with a bright smile and introduced himself as one of the coaches for the camp. He gave a small presentation and answered questions from parents and guardians before spending an entire hour going through the game with the entire group, inviting anyone who wanted to participate and creating a sort of impromptu training session. At the end of the meeting, the guy hadn’t even broken a sweat and, when he thanked each and every person who came, Yume had a moment when she wondered if the past hour and a half had happened at all. Tanaka-san’s cheer hadn’t diminished in the slightest even though she was sure that most of the other people there were exhausted just _watching_ him. 

Between the meeting and the first day of camp, Kouki couldn’t go more than a half-hour without gushing about volleyball and “Tanaka-sensei.”

Their curiosity was definitely piqued, so Eiji looked the guy up. They learned that Tanaka-san had been on a secondary school team that had challenged some of the most formidable volleyball players in the country and had virtually reclaimed their school’s reputation in the sport. Many of his teammates and rivals had been scouted by both national and international teams and Kouki’s eyes had sparkled every time they talked about where those exceptional students had ended up. 

In the moment, as the boys begin to transition from stretching to running warm-up laps around the court, Yume can’t help but watch Tanaka-san as he leads his half of the pack with cheers that the boys repeat with the pure exuberance of kids who have permission to scream as loudly as they can. 

An elderly couple squeezes into the open spot on the bleachers next to her, and Yume is just about to warn them about the metal ridges when she sees them pull out small, portable cushions.

“This must be your first time,” one of them says, pointing at Yume’s unfortunate lack of padding. 

Yume nods curtly, hoping the gesture also comes across as a bow of acknowledgement. 

“Even so, you’re in for a real treat,” they say, tucking a strand of thick salt-and-pepper hair into a ponytail at the base of their neck. “Isn’t that right, Daisuke?”

The wrinkles on the other person’s face shift into a well-worn smile. “It’s the highlight of our summer!”

The one who spoke first bows slightly in Yume’s direction again. “Yuki,” she says cheerily. “And Daisuke, my husband.”

The couple didn’t give her their surname, so Yume pauses before introducing herself. She can’t remember the last time she’s been introduced to a stranger so informally. “Nakano Yume,” she says. 

“Ah, a dream,” Yuki-san says wistfully. “Very good to meet you, Nakano-san.”

“Yume-san is fine,” she says, surprising herself.

“Yume-san, then,” she says with obvious delight. 

Yume likes the way her name sounds in Yuki-san’s gravelly voice, like all of life really is a dream. Surprising herself again, she says, “I don’t think I recognize you from the Meet and Greet?”

“Well that makes sense. We’re way past those things, but you might’ve met someone of ours. We have six grandchildren in total,” Yuki-san says with a laugh, “and guess how many of them are boys?”

“Three?” Yume guesses.

“All of ‘em!” Daisuke-san cuts in. “Can you believe it?”

Suddenly, Yume feels a little winded as she imagines five Koukis running circles around her. “No,” she says breathlessly.

Yuki-san snorts. “Our kids still get that exact same expression, and they’re the ones that have ‘em! Tanaka-kun is a godsend. Without him burning all their energy over the break, the kids would’ve taken over!”

On the court, the teams organize themselves on either side of the net, and Yume spots Kouki in the front, watching Tanaka-san as he gestures in a position that she thinks she remembers from one of the professional volleyball matches he wanted them to watch. She has never seen him so focused, but even her pride can’t quell the laughter that bubbles up in her throat. There’s just something very disarming about the combination of his comically wide eyes, his jaw hanging open in concentration, and his goofy tie-dyed shirt, and she takes out her phone for a picture. 

Kouki catches her eye before she snaps a photo and says something to Tanaka-san. Before she knows it, she’s taking a picture of the whole team, gathered together for an impromptu group picture. Tanaka-san gives her a wink and a thumbs up before turning his attention back to the group. 

Yume prays that her blush goes unnoticed, but Yuki-san’s eyes are too sharp. “That Tanaka-kun is really something, huh?” 

“He definitely has a lot of energy,” Yume says, watching Tanaka-san as he gives every kid on the team a double high five. 

“He sure does, even after dealing with kids the rest of the year!”

Yume ignores the way her blush deepens. “Is he a teacher?” 

“A counselor,” Daisuke-san says. 

“Wow,” Yume murmurs, realizing belatedly that her hand has come up to her heart. 

Yuki-san smiles coyly. “If you think Tanaka-kun is great, you should see his cheer squad.”

“Cheer squad?”

The gym doors slam open with Yume’s voice like her words are responsible for summoning the two figures in the doorway. “Who...” She asks, her question trailing off into thin air. 

“That’s Tanaka Saeko, Tanaka-kun’s older sister,” Yuki-san says, pointing at the diminutive woman with dyed blonde hair in a fashionable bob. “And _that_ ,” she says proudly, “is the same drum she used to bring to Tanaka-kun’s volleyball games when he was in school!”

Yume doesn’t even try to close her mouth. The drum is at least half as big as the woman herself, yet she’s carrying it like it weighs nothing. She’s wearing a black and orange kimono and a black band around her forehead as she tosses the giant drumsticks in the air and catches them while the people around them wave and shout her name. 

“They all know her?” Yume asks, barely able to control the awe in her voice. 

“Those of us who’ve been coming to these games long enough, yeah” Yuki-san says. “She also owns a bar, so, y’know, people want to say on her good side.”

“Her bar’s great,” Daisuke-san says with a grin, which earns him a sharp elbow to the side. “What?” 

“Pah,” his wife says, dismissing his whine with a flick of her wrist. “You say that about any ol’ place! If you’re going to take someone’s word for it, Yume-san, take mine. Saeko-chan really does have an excellent selection!”

Yume bites her lip. She and Eiji both enjoy beer, and she could surprise him with a trip to a new bar the next time they get a night to themselves. And, she thinks as she looks at Tanaka-san stretching with the mallets, she wouldn’t mind getting to know such a surprising woman. 

“And that,” Yuki-san says, pointing at the second figure, “is Koushi-kun. Koushi-kun!” She shouts over the mounting din of pregame excitement. “We’ve got a newbie over here!”

The man lets out a loud cheer, startling Yume in her seat, and approaches them with his hands clasped in delight. When he’s within earshot, she hears him say, “Ah, Yuki-san and Daisuke-san! That’s the best news I’ve heard all day!” 

Yume feels her face heat up again and she manages to avert her eyes long enough that when she looks back up, he is standing on the bleacher below so they are all at a comfortable eye-level. 

Up close, Yume is almost taken aback by how handsome he is, from his thick, silver hair and the mole under his right eye, to his button nose and wide, toothy smile, like his face was the dictionary definition of the expression. Under his welcoming good looks, however, Yume can’t help but notice something wild flash in his eyes. It reminds her of someone younger, someone who is less concerned with social norms and more so with their own enthusiasm. “Hi,” she says dumbly. 

“Heya,” he chirps back. “Are you prepared for the match?”

“Prepared?” Yume repeats, looking to her seatmates for clarification. The couple, however, is just glancing between them like they’re watching a movie and waiting for a twist they know is coming. She sits up a little straighter, remembering the little cushions that Yuki-san and Daiskue-san had brought because they knew the bleachers would be uncomfortable. She drops her shoulders and sighs in defeat. “I don’t think so.”

“Then I’ve got you covered!” Koushi-san says happily and, seemingly out of nowhere, he pulls a giant duffle bag in front of him and starts to rummage through it. “Which team are you cheering for?” He asks, his head still buried in the bag. 

Yume realizes she doesn’t know if they have team names, so she gives him the only information she has. “My son is on Tanaka-san’s team.”

When she says the coach’s name, Koushi-san starts digging deeper. “ _Well then_ , I’ve got to make sure you are extra prepared,” he says. 

Yuki-san reaches across her to gesture at the bag and grab the man’s attention. “Koushi-kun, while you’re in there, grab me the horn this time. And two of those balloons for Dai-chan.” She looks back at her husband, who nods. “And two of the bandanas that match your team’s shirts, if you would be so kind.”

“If I would be so kind,” Koushi-san scoffs. “How long have we known each other, Yuki-san? You get whatever you damn-well please!”

“That’s what I like to hear!” she says, grabbing her requested paraphernalia with a satisfied grin. 

“And for our newcomer….” Koushi-san says, looking back at Yume with an open expression. 

“Yume,” she supplies quickly, and, realizing her lack of decorum for the second time that afternoon, she shakes her head and corrects herself. “Nakano Yume. My son, Kouki, it’s his first game, so I didn’t really know what to expect, and my husband is away on business,” she rambles awkwardly. 

The man, Koushi-san, clasps his hands under his chin, smiles serenely, and closes his eyes to take a deep breath. Yume is mesmerized; he looks like he is taking a breath of fresh air at the top of Fuji-san, not standing in a loud, stinky gymnasium. 

Finally, he opens his eyes and the serene expression is still plastered on his face. “I’m sorry to hear your husband can’t make it,” he says, “but the important thing is that you’re here and I know _just_ what to give you. Hold on a sec.” He rummages in his bag again until he resurfaces with a bell, a flag, and a pom pom. He jingles the bell in one hand. “In case you feel like being loud, this is perfect. You get maximum noise with minimum effort and the kids love ‘em.” He waves the flag and pom-pom in his other hand, “and in case you don’t want to add to the ruckus, these’ll give you great visibility. Kouki-kun will be able to spot you in the blink of an eye — the glittery strands of the pom-pom catch these awful lights disturbingly well, trust me.”

Koushi-san is a complete stranger, but Yume feels like she _does_ trust him, and unbidden tears well up in the corners of her eyes. She blames her embarrassing public display of emotion on the new circumstances, being alone in a new place without her husband, and being nervous for her son, and also feels a sharp pang of guilt for her earlier complaints. These people are treating her, and by extension her son, like treasured members of their chosen family. 

She wipes her eyes as surreptitiously as she can. If Koushi-san notices, he doesn’t mention it. Instead, his entire face softens and he looks right into her eyes, speaking like he can read her mind. “We’re really happy you’re here to support the team, you know? And you better believe we’ll be cheering extra hard for Kouki-kun!”

Before Yume can respond, he is summoned by other parents, siblings, cousins, and grandparents, and she watches him float between them, giving them hugs and high fives, punching people who just laugh in return, and distributing team cheer paraphernalia from his mysteriously deep bag. His unending fount of energy reminds her of Tanaka-san, like he and the coach are their own sort of team. One man on the court and one man in the audience.

“We also thought he was a bit unhinged when he first met him,” Yuki-san says, interrupting Yume’s meditation. “Koushi-kun is a good kid with a good heart, but he really just says and does whatever he wants. It’s fine by us, but we wonder about him sometimes!”

“He reminds me of Tanaka-san,” Yume says distractedly, letting her thoughts bubble to the surface. 

Yuki-san raises a brow and parts her lips like she’s about to say something, but a sharp, mechanical buzz cuts them off, and Daisuke-san declares, “That’s the start of the match!”

Yume watches Koushi-san and the elder Tanaka-san as they cheer on the team as much as she watches what happens on the court. Koushi-san doesn’t sit down for a second; when he’s finished distributing cheering supplies, he mingles with the guests in the bleachers and teaches them short cheers that he has no qualms about leading. 

She can’t quite tell what’s happening on the court, but Koushi-kun must because he shouts “Solid serve!” and “Nice receive!” and doesn’t hesitate to lend his vocal support when a kid lets the ball hit the court within the white line or lets it slip past his fingers when he reaches toward it. 

He doesn’t even need a horn; his voice carries across the entire gymnasium. 

Curiously, Koushi-san also calls out to Tanaka-san directly, whether it’s an enthusiastic “Great call, coach!” or “Switch out the back, Tanaka-sensei!” 

Even more curiously, instead of getting frustrated that someone in the crowd is trying to manage his game, fierce red blooms across the coach’s cheeks every time Koushi-san addresses him. 

She doesn’t even know who Koushi-san is there with, or how he knows so many people, but she catches Kouki waving at her and remembers that she is, in fact, there to watch her son’s very first volleyball match, even if it’s more of a casual scrimmage at the end of a week of summer camp. She gets her camera out and taps the screen to focus it fully on her son.

One dead phone battery and sore throat later, the match is over.

Yume almost doesn’t realize it; she’s so swept up in the excitement that the buzzer surprises her just as forcefully as it had at the beginning. 

She also doesn’t realize Kouki’s team had lost until Yuki-san says with a soft sigh, “at least they put up a good fight.” 

Yume scours the court for her boy. Kouki has too many good qualities to count but losing is still a challenge, and Yume starts to gather her things to rush to his side. She’s trying to figure out what to do with her bell when she sees her son and freezes in place. Not only is he smiling, but he’s also dramatically enacting of the plays from the game with a few of the boys from the other side of the net. She’s so shocked that she falls back onto the bleachers with a loud thud. “How?” She manages to ask.

“One of Tanaka-kun’s biggest things is teaching those kids how to lose,” Yuki-san says with a smile. She’s looking forward, towards the court, but her gaze is far away. “Our oldest grandson — who’s in high school now, if can believe it — couldn’t lose without it being a whole ordeal. He’s a sensitive boy and we love him, but the world is tough,” she murmurs, “Somehow Tanaka-kun got through to him. He still cries, mind you, and that’s alright, but he’s better at letting things like that motivate instead of bring him down.”

Yume opens and closes her mouth like a fish out of water.

“Oh, and you can just leave the stuff Koushi-kun gave you right on the bleachers,” Yuki-san continues. “He’ll pick everything up. That’s the primary school teacher in him.”

Yume blinks back into the conversation, remembering her observation from the beginning of the game. “Do Koushi-san and Tanaka-san know each other?” 

Yuki-san pats her husband’s knee fondly. “Koushi-kun is actually _Tanaka_ Koushi.”

“Are they all siblings, then?” Yume asks, still puzzled. 

Daisuke rests his hand over his wife’s and twines their fingers. “Koushi-kun is the coach’s husband,” he explains. 

“Oh?”

Yuki-san narrows her eyes with a hard glint that makes Yume want to scoot back an inch, or five. “I do hope that’s okay with you?” 

It sounds like more of a threat than a question, and Yume puts her hands up instinctively. “N-no, I’m fine with that, I mean them, I just, I didn’t think of it?“

Yuki-san takes mercy on her by breaking into a relaxed smile. “That’s a relief. Koushi-kun and Ryuu-kun, that’s the coach’s given name, mind you, are almost part of the family at this point. In fact,” she nudges Daisuke-san, “have you invited them to dinner next week, when all the grandkids’ll be at the house?”

“Shit,” Daisuke-san grumbles. “I’ll email them tonight.” Yuki-san slaps his arm, and he rubs the spot with a grimace before throwing his hands up in surrender. “Okay, I’m doing it right now!”

She pats him on the shoulder with a nod and slings her purse over her shoulder. “Well, it’s about that time. We’re going to go down and collect our grandson. I hope we’ll see you again next summer?” 

“I hope so,” Yume says, aware that she truly means it. 

The couple bows together and leaves their cheering supplies neatly on the metal bleachers while they make their way down the stairs. Yume is still seated when the gymnasium doors open again. She looks over her shoulder to see who would arrive _after_ the match.

A tall, burly looking person in glasses with long, wavy hair enters and Yume squints at the package they’re holding close to their chest. Her eyes widen in surprise when she realizes what it is and she spots Koushi-kun approaching them with his arms wide open. 

The imposing newcomer turns out to have a very gentle smile and carefully transfers the bundle to Koushi-san, who takes the wiggling mass of fabric with practiced ease, and they both head over to the group of boys, parents, guardians, and volunteers still gathered on the court. 

Yume’s jaw almost drops when she sees Tanaka-san recognize them. He brings his hands to his cheeks like he’s witnessing a miracle. He says something to the group gathered around him before rushing to Koushi-san, or, Yume reminds herself, the other Tanaka-san. They share a few words before Koushi-san hands a baby to the coach, who then holds the child up to the ceiling and looks at them like he’d just hung the sun, moon, and stars in the sky. A group of parents and kids gathers around the two of them, and Tanaka secures the baby with their back against his chest and his arm under their bottom, letting their chubby legs dangle over his forearms. The kids in the group are transfixed. 

_Her_ boy is transfixed. 

She has never seen Kouki even remotely interested in babies, and she brings a hand up to her mouth to mask her gasp when she sees Kouki point a finger toward the baby and giggle with glee when the baby closes their little fist around it. 

“If you’re not finished cheering on the team, I’ll make another loop,” Koushi-san teases. 

He doesn’t apologize for startling her, but Yume’s not put off by the comment. She looks down at the pom-pom on her lap and laughs. “I think I’m all cheered out,” she says, handing everything back. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” Koushi-san says. He notices the way her eyes keep tracking back to the baby that Tanaka-san is bouncing in the air. “That’s his little girl. A real cutie if I do say so myself!”

Yume speaks before she thinks. “She’s yours too, right?”

He looks at her in surprise, then snorts. “Daisuke-san and Yuki-san really run their mouths, huh? In any case, yes, she’s our youngest,” he says fondly. “It’s her first time seeing her papa in his element. Shiori, her older sister, wants nothing to do with volleyball, which nearly broke the guy’s heart, so Ryuu’s hoping to start Ayumi early.” Koushi-san watches his husband and baby for another minute before seeming to remember where he was. “Anyway,” he says, adjusting the bag over his shoulder. “Before I run my own mouth about how cute they are and someone has to call the cops to shut me up, which would be hilarious because I _know_ the cops, could you hand me the cheering stuff on the bench next to you?”

“I know what you mean,” Yume says, finding that she’s not ready for their conversation to end. She hands over the abandoned cheering paraphernalia. “Kouki used all of my kitchen string to make his own little volleyball net in our backyard and I ended up recording at least three videos when I should’ve been cleaning up after dinner. He was so cute that I couldn’t even be mad.”

Koushi-san wears his delight like a second skin. “These kids, I tell ya! After we adopted Ayumi, we had spent months planning a family trip to see my parents but Shiori took her baby sister and pretended to be asleep on top of Ryuu so that we couldn’t leave. I took pictures instead of making them get up and we never got around to actually leaving. Whoops!” He says, not looking the least apologetic. 

Yume giggles. “Well, I think you made the right decision.”

“Oh, absolutely. My parents were furious AND I got the perfect picture for my lockscreen.”

“I really hope Kouki wants to come back next summer,“ Yume blurts out out of nowhere. Her eyes widen with embarrassment and she averts them. “Volleyball is really new to him,” she admits, “but I’ve never seen him this excited about anything before. And you all are so welcoming, and Tanaka-san is really great, but, um,” a deep red blush creeps across her face again. “I guess you knew that already.”

“I do know,” Koushi says, “but I’m also totally and completely biased, so it’s nice to hear someone else say it!”

Yume returns Koushi-san’s grin. “Kouki even told me he wanted to go to Karasuno for secondary school because _Tanaka-senpai_ went there.”

Koushi-san had not stopped smiling since they started talking, but as soon as she mentions Karasuno, his smile changes. It doesn’t fade, but his lips twist into a somber expression and there’s something bittersweet about the way he says, “Karasuno’s a very good school.”

Yume bites the inside of her cheek. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it,” she says, trying to backtrack. “Kouki just told me something about Tanaka-san finding family there, and I thought it was really sweet. I want that for him.” She almost whispering as she finishes, like if she voices her wish too loudly, it won’t come true. 

“That’s a really wonderful thing to want for your son,” Koushi says. “And thank you for telling me.” His expression is so tender that Yume gets the feeling he’s holding back. She wants to ask why he thanked her, but she’s distracted by a familiar shriek. 

“Okaasan!” Kouki shouts, bounding up the stairs two at a time. He grabs Yume’s hand and looks up at her with a quirked brow. “What are you still doin’ up here?” 

She begins to apologize for the interruption, but Koushi-san flashes her another big smile. “Hello,” he says to Kouki. “You have excellent timing! I was just going to tell your mom how great your serves were today.”

Kouki blinks at Koushi-san, taking in the greeting, compliment, and the fact that Koushi-san is still decked out in his team’s colors. Suddenly, he bows so deeply that Yume shoots out her hands to grab him in case he topples over. “Thank you for cheering for us!” he says, then, he whips back up and looks up at Yume with saucer-sized eyes. “Tanaka-senpai told us to make sure we thank everyone. ”

Yume fixes a stray piece of hair that drapes across her son’s forehead and boops him on the nose with the tip of her index finger. “Tanaka-senpai gives _very_ good advice.” 

Her son seems satisfied with her response and barks out a truncated goodbye to Koushi-san as he pulls Yume down the stairs. She looks over her shoulder to Koushi-san, who laughs as he waves them off.

Kouki passes out almost as soon as Yume starts the car. 

Instead of using the blissful silence to think about heating up dinner or responding to emails, she remembers holding a cheer pom-pom for the first time since her own school days and chanting with a crowd in support of their sons, grandchildren, cousins, and friends. 

She imagines Kouki’s reaction to the brand new volleyball that’s sitting on his bed.

It’s funny, she muses, that a little rubber ball covered in synthetic leather not only has the power to bring strangers together both on the court and in the stands, but also has the extraordinary to create family and bring them closer. 

On the court, strangers turn into teammates, teammates become family, and family members understand what it means to be a team. 

Yume believes she understands why she enjoyed Yuki-san saying her name. Even if life isn’t always a dream, her small team of three is and _that_ dream will only grow.

She’s tearing up again but makes no move to wipe her eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> HOPE YOU ENJOY BECS!!!!!! Happy holidays and New Year and THANK YOU for requesting tanasuga! I had an absurdly good time writing this, so I hope it makes you smile <3
> 
> And a big thank you to everyone else who read this far!


End file.
